Psycho - shower scene

The shower scene in psycho comes as a shock. What we think of as the main character, is taking a shower when we see the shower curtain is pulled back as a shadowed figure of an elderly woman attacks her with a knife. She falls to the floor pulling the shower curtain with her to create dramatic effect.
This part of the film contributes well to the idea of a thriller as the short burst of drama keeps the spectator intrigued and wanting to see more. It also adds well to the idea of a thriller because we are fooled into thinking the attacker is the mother of the boy who takes the main character into his motel. We later discover that the murderer was the boy himself and that because of his split personality, he dresses as his mother.